Acad Year DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF THE

10/11 COMPOSITE MONOCOQUE INTERNAL STRUCTURES

PROJECT NO AND MECHANICAL COMPONENTS OF
B498 THE NTU WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE CAR
DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF COMPOSITE MONOCOQUE INTERNAL STRUCTURES
AND MECHANICAL COMPONENTS OF THE NTU WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE CAR

Tan Sia Nguan Eugene

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Year 2010/2011
DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF THE COMPOSITE MONOCOQUE
INTERNAL STRUCTURES AND MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
OF THE NTU WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE CAR

SUBMITTED

BY

TAN SIA NGUAN EUGENE

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

A final year project report

presented to
Nanyang Technological University
in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
Nanyang Technological University

Year 2010/2011
Abstract
In this report, the intricate process of the design and development stages of a
carbon-fiber composite monocoque chassis of the NTU solar car has been
emphasized in detail. By building on the success of the previous car (Nanyang
Venture II), the new and improved car (Nanyang Venture V) has been designed to
participate in the World Solar Challenge 2011, a solar car race held in Australia that
spans across a distance of 3021 km from Darwin to Adelaide.

As the design and development of a carbon-fiber composite monocoque chassis

involved multiple intricate stages, the mechanical systems of the solar was designed
and analyzed first before integrating it to the monocoque chassis. Mechanical
systems consisting of the steering systems, suspension systems and braking systems
were designed and optimized based on their respective design intentions and
constraints. Figures and references were occasionally used to aid the explanation of
the concepts behind the complexities of the mechanical systems.

During the development stages, an aluminium tubular frame was designed and
fabricated to test the design integrity of these mechanical systems dynamically via
braking and endurance tests. Results from the tests were then used as guidelines to
design the structural elements of the monocoque chassis. Due to complexities of
carbon-fiber composites, simulations and essential calculations were also performed
to design the lightest and stiffest composite chassis.

Advance technologies and methodologies regarding the incorporation of the

mechanical systems and the composite structures were also explored to prove the
concept of a full carbon-fiber monocoque car. In conclusion, suggestions regarding
future improvements and technological developments were discussed to guide the
next generation of students that will be working on future solar car projects.